Since the days when log cabins were shelters of choice
and a fair number of Native Americans inhabited the state’s as yet
unfounded borders, West Virginia has had a love affair with hunting raccoons.
Although no longer hunted out of necessity, the tradition of hunting raccoons
with dogs, whether they be hounds or curs, is still very much alive in
the Mountain State. Today, West Virginia hunters spend more time in pursuit
of raccoons than any other furbearer in the state.

With heavy hunting pressure on raccoons being the norm in West Virginia,
it has become increasingly important to monitor changes in raccoon population
densities to assist biologists in management planning and decision making.
Actual raccoon population estimates are difficult to obtain and most states
have had to be satisfied with simple indices of relative abundance. Indices
can provide an idea of whether populations are increasing or decreasing,
but are not estimates of actual numbers of animals.

In the past, fur buyer reports were the main means of monitoring trends
in raccoon and other furbearer numbers in West Virginia. These reports
were unreliable due to the effects of the fluctuating nature of the fur
market on both sale and harvest of raccoon pelts. It is especially difficult
to extract useful information from these reports during periods of low
or changing fur prices.

In 1992, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources in cooperation
with the West Virginia Coon Hunters Association initiated a survey to
monitor raccoon population trends using scorecard information obtained
from competitive coonhound field trials. Field trials, or “nite
hunts” as they are known by competition hunters, are held year-round
in most counties of the state. These hunts are sanctioned by national
organizations such as the United Kennel Club and the Professional Kennel
Club. Clubs holding hunts participate in the survey on a voluntary basis.

Hunts involve a detailed scoring system based on trail striking, tracking,
and treeing abilities of coonhounds. The hunts are strictly timed at one
or two hours and numbers of raccoons seen are recorded on scorecards.
Information gathered for a survey year is averaged to indicate the number
of raccoons per two hours of hunting time. This measure of hunting success
is calculated for different socio-ecological regions of West Virginia.
Two hours is used since this is by far the most common type of hunt held
by the clubs.

Four regions of West Virginia were delineated based on past habitat studies,
ecological zones and observations of biologists on raccoon hunter densities
and hunting pressure on the raccoon resource:

Since its inception in 1992, an average of 27 coon clubs have participated
in the survey each year. This represents 65 percent of all clubs present
in any given year. Results were obtained from an average of 85 hunts per
year statewide representing 43 percent of all sanctioned hunts listed.
A total of 10,721 hours from more than 1,000 hunts have been surveyed
to date.

Twelve years of data indicate that long-term trends in raccoon numbers
are stable to slightly increasing. Hunting success statewide has ranged
from 1.4 to 2 raccoons seen per 2 hours of hunting time and has averaged
1.66. Slight increases in hunting success are noted for Regions 2, 3,
and 4. These increases are most probably due to depressed fur markets
and concurrent lower harvests of raccoons leaving more raccoons in the
woods. Of course, this also assumes that hunting success as depicted by
the field trial survey accurately reflects raccoon densities.

Actual hunting success has compared favorably well with predicted hunting
success for each region with the highest success being found in Region
1. The big exception has been Region 4 – the eastern panhandle.
Containing West Virginia’s best raccoon habitat, this region shows
consistently low hunting success. This may be partly explained by the
presence of rabies in the area which may be keeping raccoon densities
low. It was predicted that hunting success would be low, but not as low
as indicated by the survey. Prior to the initial rabies outbreak in the
late 1970s, hunters reported treeing high numbers of raccoons in this
region.

Also of note is Region 2, in southern West Virginia which has yielded
low hunting success from year to year. Concurrently, it has actually shown
the steadiest hunting success in the 12 years since the start of the survey
with no dramatic fluctuations. This region has traditionally been considered
our poorest raccoon habitat and contains the greatest number of raccoon
hunters of all four regions. Overharvest and illegal killing have been
historic problems in Region 2. Low fur prices are probably helping raccoon
numbers to rebound in this region more than any other.

Hunters in Region 2 are reminded to refrain from illegally stocking raccoons
as an answer to the problem of low numbers of raccoons. Moving diseased
individuals into the area is a very real possibility. Additionally, if
stocking was the answer to raccoon density problems in southern West Virginia,
this area should have the best raccoon hunting in the state. It is very
probable that more raccoons have been stocked by hunters in this region
than anywhere else in West Virginia with very little long-term benefit.
The answer lies in protecting what is already there to allow native raccoons
to fill available habitat.

One problem associated with the survey is that hunting success may be
somewhat inflated by the high use of “feeder buckets” or bait
stations in areas where hunts are conducted. A recent survey of West Virginia
coon hunters indicated that 61 percent of competition hunters surveyed
hunted from baited sites to increase chances of contacting raccoons during
field trials. As long as use of bait stations is consistent throughout
all four survey regions, differences in hunting success between regions
can still be considered valid. Hunters have been repeatedly cautioned
that baiting increases the risk of spreading diseases such as distemper
and rabies in raccoon populations and should be discontinued.

In 2001, a Raccoon Pleasure Hunter Survey was added to supplement data
obtained from the Raccoon Field Trial Survey. This survey uses noncompetitive
hunt information and includes data gathered during the kill season, thus
yielding age and sex data as well. Unfortunately, very little of this
data has been gathered to date. More volunteers are needed. This information
will hopefully add to the value of the survey as a tool in making management
decisions.

Managing raccoon populations, like that of any other wildlife species,
should be based on facts as supported by good science. The Raccoon Field
Trial Survey represents a solid step in this direction. Raccoon hunting
clubs are to be applauded for taking the time to participate in this survey
to help insure the future of their sport and the health of the raccoon
resource.

Any clubs or individual wishing to participate in either of these surveys
should contact:
Rich Rogers, WVDNR
1 Depot St.
Romney, WV 26757
(304)822-3551
Rich Rogers is a wildlife biologist stationed in Romney.